Novelty container for photographs

ABSTRACT

A PAIR OF HOUSING PARTS ARE HINGED TOGETHER TO DEFINE AN ENCLOSURE FOR A PLURALITY OF PHOTOGRAPHS. A RETAINER ON ONE OF THE HOUSING PARTS RECEIVES PERIPHERAL APERTURES IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO MAINTAIN THEM IN PLANES PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE HINGE.

1380- 1971 w. T. GOSSARD NOVELTY CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHS F'iled May 15, 1970 llllllll IIIIIIII INVENTOR WA WW; 7 6055/ 160 A TTOE/V V5 United States Patent 3 624 939 NOVELTY CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHS Wayne T. Gossard, Alhambra, Calif., assignor of. a fractional part interest to Oxford W. Prisk, San Gabriel,

Calif.

Filed May 13, 1970, Ser. No. 36,947 Int. Cl. G09f 3/18 US. Cl. 40--10 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of housing parts are hinged together to define an enclosure for a plurality of photographs. A retainer on one of the housing parts receives peripheral apertures in the photographs to maintain them in planes parallel to the axis of the hinge.

This invention relates to a novelty container for photographs. In one aspect the invention concerns a container which is shaped to identify a particular sport, for example, baseball, football, or hockey, and wherein photographs of baseball players, football players, or hockey players, respectively, are removably mounted within the container. In another aspect the invention concerns the structure for mounting a series of photographs within the housing enclosure so that the photographs are maintained in upright predetermined order for inspection when the container is opened. These and other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the shape of a baseball, the container being closed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 22 of FIG. 1, the container being open to expose the photographs contained therein.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on lines 33 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, in the shape of an American football, the container being closed.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4, the container being open to expose the photographs contained therein.

FIG. -6 is a sectional view taken substantially on lines 6-6 as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modification, in the shape of a hockey puck, the container being closed.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 88 of FIG. 7, the container being open to expose the photographs contained therein.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 9-9 as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of another modification, in the shape of a basketball.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of another modification, in the shape of a socker football.

Referring to the drawings, the container generally designated 10 and shown in FIGS. 1-3 is in the general size and shape of a baseball. It includes two hollow hemispherical sections 11 and 12 connected by an overcenter spring hinge 13. When the sections are closed at the joint 14 there is a generally spherical chamber or enclosure 15 defined therein. Photographs 16, each circular in outline, and each showing a different baseball player, are mounted within the enclosure 15. A retainer rib 17 formed integrally with the section 12 receives a peripheral aperture or notch 18 provided on each photograph. The rib 17 extends at right angles to the axis of the hinge 13 so that all of the photographs remain in upright position when the section 11 is moved to open position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The notches 18 cooperate with the retainer rib 17 to prevent accidental displacement of the photographs 16, but permit withdrawal of any or all of the photographs 16 from the container 10 when it is open.

The container 20 shown in FIGS. 4-6 is in the shape of an American football, a prolate spheroid of revolution, but otherwise it is of the same general construction as the device of FIGS. 1-3, previously described. It is smaller than a football, however, and more nearly approximates the size of a baseball. It includes two hollow sections 21 and 22 connected by an overcenter spring hinge 23. When the sections are closed at the joint 24 there is a chamber or enclosure 25 defined therein. Photographs 26, each oblong in shape, and each showing a different football player, are mounted within the enclosure 25. A retainer rib 27 formed integrally with the section 22 and at right angles to the long axis of the foot ball receives a peripheral aperture or notch 28 provided on each photograph. The rib 27 extends at right angles to the hinge 23 and to the long axis of the football so that all of the photographs remain in upright position when the section 21 is moved to open position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The notches 28 cooperate with the retainer rib 17 to prevent accidental displacement of the photographs 26, but permit withdrawal of any or all of the photographs 26 from the container when it is open.

The container 30 shown in FIGS. 7-9 is in the shape of a puck used in hockey, and is similar in construction to the containers previously described. It includes two sections 31 and 32 connected by an overcenter spring hinge 33. When the sections are closed at the joint 34 there is a chamber or enclosure 35 defined therein. Photographs 36, each circular in shape, and each showing a difierent hockey player, are mounted within the enclosure 35. A pair of retainer ribs or posts 37 are formed integrally with the section 31 and at right angles to the hinge axis. These posts 37 receive peripheral apertures 38 provided on each photograph 36, and thus serve to hold all of the photographs in upright position when the section 31 is moved to upright position, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The apertures 38 cooperate with the posts 37 to prevent accidental displacement of the photographs 36, but permit them to be withdrawn from the container 30 when it is open.

The basketball photograph container of FIG. 10 and the socker football photograph container of FIG. 11 are each constructed and each operate in the manner described in detail in connection with FIGS. l-3. The container of FIG. 10 contains photographs of basketball players, and the container of FIG. 11 contains photographs of socket football players.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the details herein set forth but that my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a novelty device of the type described, the combination of: a pair of housing elements shaped to define an enclosure, a hinge connecting said elements for pivotal movement about the hinge axis, a series of photographs of the same size and shape, means for supporting the photographs in planes parallel to the hinge axis, said means comprising a retainer means provided on one of said housing elements within the enclosure and shaped to receive apertures in the photographs, said housing elements being movable about the hinge axis from a closed position in which the photographs are contained within the enclosure to an open position in which the photographs may be individually withdrawn from the retainer means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the pair of housing elements when closed define a prolate spheroid of revolution, and wherein the photographs are substantially elliptical.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the enclosure is in the form ofa cylinder with closed ends, and wherein the photographs are substantially circular.

4. In a spherical container for photographs, the combination of: a pair of hollow hemispherical elements shaped to define an enclosure, a hinge connecting said elements for pivotal movement about the hinge axis, a series of circular photographs, means for supporting the photographs in planes parallel to the hinge axis, said means comprising a retainer ri'b provided on one of said housing elements within the enclosure and shaped to receive notches in the photographs, one notch being provided on the periphery of each photograph, said housing elements being movable about the hinge axis from a UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,829 5/1914 Dunlap 63l9 X 2,863,307 12/1958 Donle 63-l9 3,377,818 4/1968 Marek 6-3-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,465 3/1958 Belgium 40l0 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

